


Merely a Mechanic

by indiish



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Kylo Ren Being a Little Shit, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Second Person, Reader is a Mechanic, Slow Burn, Tags May Change, maybe smut? If im ever game enough
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 05:50:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19144822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indiish/pseuds/indiish
Summary: You had heard about him, Kylo Ren, the ruthless, short-tempered, forcing-using, towering, immature, mind-reading, -oh kriff- Commander of the First Order.This might just be your most interesting job yet.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Finally worked up the courage to post here! I apologise in advance for slow/sporadic updates, life's hectic.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

The engines hummed, pistons whirring to life as the panel slipped back into place. It wasn't the first time some unlucky sod had been stranded out in the deserts, due to a faulty cleaning mechanism. Somehow, despite constant reprimand, none of your customers understood the severity of the unassuming grey dirt. It was fine - fine enough to slip through unsealed panels and collect in the engines of travellers. The repair shop sold sealant and you always urged those who planned on traversing the expanse to allow you to properly seal their speeders to avoid malfunction. Most thought it was a scam, a way for a dirt poor mechanic to make a few extra credits.

The wind was picking up again, spraying soot over your covered face and arms. The man in front of you shifted slightly, uncomfortable from the sting of the dust. Tightening your mask, you held out your hand for payment - considering you did come all this way on call. Huffing, he shoves over ten credits, barely enough to cover transport costs. You watch him, hand still outstretched, as he shakes his head and shifts in his seat, “I have nothing else to spare.”

It was likely that he was telling the truth. The only people that voluntarily cross the south end on speeders were scavengers, the rest simply couldn't afford the fare for the shuttle. Generally, if you couldn’t afford the shuttle, you weren’t going to be able to tip your mechanic. Between the dust and scavengers, not many travellers returned. He was lucky that he broke down only an hour out, any further and you wouldn’t have been able to reach him before the chill set in. You nod at him, swinging back onto your speeder and motioning for him to follow. A high buzz emanates from your positioning system before the dial swings north and you kick on the engine.

Wind whipping at your clothes, you speed back to Tetune’s capital, which, compared to the larger galactic cities, is nothing more than a pitstop for First Order troops. As the sun slowly dips towards the horizon, light from the outpost starts to appear, dim in the distance. Behind you, the man was hunched down over his speeder, clearly struggling with the dust and cold in his loose, thin garbs. His arms were exposed and you could see the windburn starting to redden his skin. You had warned him about the risk of venturing out so late in the day with so little preparation. He obviously hadn’t listened or hadn’t cared.

As the details of the settlement come into view, you redirect your course to La’ani’s shop. Coming to a smooth halt at the front of the building, the man dismounts, ties his vehicle and trudges off down the street. _Ungrateful_ . You contemplate running after him and demanding thanks, but it was well after close and you really needed a shower. After pushing your craft back into the garage, you were then rushing to close the door before the grey dust could storm its way into your workspace. A fresh coat of soot covered almost everything in the garage - you knew you would have to stay in late tonight so La’ani wouldn’t crucify you in the morning. Over the past few years you had really gotten to know the dustpan. _Fuck this_.

“Did he make it? Eh?” La’ani’s voice, however gruff and muffled, was familiar and soothing after a long, unfruitful trip.

“Only just!” you called back as you pried open the rusty side door, “I don’t think he knew quite how much trouble he was in.”

The steps creaked as you brought yourself into the store. La’ani was busy sorting through equipment, two hands slotting a muffler back into the cabinet and two recording the sales. He was muttering to himself like he always did. Quietly slipping the credits onto the counter, you sneaked towards your quarters.

“How much dust did you bring in this time?” Barely through the door frame, you turn around to answer him,

“I can clean it in a minute?” A stern shake of his head was all the indication you needed that you weren’t getting off on time. Your dreams of getting to the showers in time for hot water were crushed as you trudged back into the garage. Your footsteps disturbed the dust enough to make you cough and your throat get scratchy. Reaching back for your scarf, you ready yourself for the task at hand. This job was the only thing keeping you from being buried somewhere out in the desert, killed by the chill, so ultimately, you were grateful for La’ani’s offer to make you an apprentice. Even if you had to do the boring jobs.

It actually hadn’t taken you as long as you thought it would, only an hour and you had the workspace dusted off, for the most part. From the other side of the door, La’ani was grumbling, you couldn’t make out words but you didn’t need to. He was on the radio, obviously someone had called in after hours.

You were not going to stay back any later.

Pushing through the doorway you look to La’ani, “‘Ni, don’t let them in, its way past close!”

“They’re First Order - and not just troopers, important ones too. You know what kind of trouble we would be in if we didn’t at least see them.” You take a deep breath, not once had you worked on a First Order vehicle and gotten paid properly. It was common knowledge that even if they short changed you, getting paid anything is better than the punishment for disloyalty. He looked around at the assorted broken parts lining walls, “I don’t have the money or time for that kind of trouble.”

Soon enough, you could hear a soft buzz, gradually humming louder and louder until it was near deafening. From the sound alone you could tell this wasn’t just some fighters, La’ani had been right, whoever this was, was important enough to have an actual shuttle. You had only ever worked on one before, as they were rare and were barely ever on routes past Tetune, but you had studied them hard - they were often customised and therefore the most frustrating to work with. You were just hoping this one wasn’t too dinged up. Stepping outside, you instantly regret leaving your shawl in the garage. It was absolutely miserable outside at night - wind creating dust projectiles, burning and stinging any exposed skin it could get to.

The ship stood tall, imposing, and dark - you couldn’t quite see the tips of the wings. A cloud erupted as the landing gear hit the ground, followed by thundering creaks and cracks. Finally, everything was still. The raging wind around you started to feel like nothing - adrenaline was making its way through your veins. It wasn’t everyday you came face to face with The Order’s officials.

La’ani walked past you as the ramp hissed and lowered. He stood by the side of the ramp, you could tell this was well rehearsed. With a job like this it was unlikely you would actually be working on the ship, maybe grabbing a few tools, but not actually putting them to the ship. La’ani trusted you, but you weren’t sure how much.

Three figures, all cloaked in black head to toe, emerged from the craft. The man in the middle struck you instantly - this wasn’t just any official, this was the Commander. You had heard about him, Kylo Ren, the ruthless, short-tempered, forcing-using, towering, immature, mind-reading, - _oh kriff_ \- Commander of the First Order.

_This might just be your most interesting job yet._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was only a slight movement. A small tilt of the head, but now there was a direct line from his visor to you and you just knew he was looking at you.

It was strange how certain people could exert so much power. He had hardly been on Tetune for five minutes and yet your focus, and seemingly everyone else’s, was entirely on him.

Shortly after the ramp hit the ground, La’ani had shuffled you back into the shop, where you immediately set yourself by the small, murky window overlooking the landing plot, making sure to be somewhat out of sight. Watching from afar, you tried your best to assess the situation, mostly to see if you or La’ani were going to be in any strife but your thoughts kept running back to Commander Ren. You had heard quite a bit about Ren, though none of it enstiled you with much confidence for your job. He was standing off to the side, arms crossed, flanked by two troopers who seemed like they very much did not want to be near him. He left all the negotiations too his two knights who, from the looks of it, would not take the standard pricing.

You actually weren’t sure what you expected of Kylo Ren, you had never needed to expect anything of him. His mask gave you no hints either - from where you sat, the dim lights in the fog cast a misty shadow over him, creating a harsh glow on the metal. He was facing the exchange, although you couldn’t tell if he was engaged, talking or even paying attention. You had always thought you had been good at reading people but with no face and a statue-like posture, this man had you bested.

You couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking about. He was one of the most powerful men in the galaxy and he was here, on Tetune, on the other side of a dingy glass panel, less than 20 feet from you. 

It was only a slight movement. A small tilt of the head, but now there was a direct line from his visor to you and you just knew he was looking at you. All your previous thoughts flew out the window and you became a deer in his headlights. As soon as you regained your senses, you ducked your head below the windowsill and clamped a hand over your mouth, despite knowing it was impossible for them to hear you. For a brief second you had felt the most intense rush of energy, right before the crushing realisation hit - you were technically spying on first order business - _Could they kill you for that?_

Shivering, you quickly pushed yourself back up to the window, only to find the landing empty less the two troopers that remained next to the shuttle. You spun around to the sound of the door cracking open, only to be met with a gloomy La’ani.

“Let’s go - apparently it’s the navigation system and some other minor dents.” He grumbled, “Bloody bastards want half the standard.”

You grabbed a notepad and your shawl, not wanting to comment on the deal; somehow it felt like their were eyes all over you. You were glad, however, internal wiring was your specialty and fixing up navigation systems had always come easy to you. Maybe this was your chance to prove yourself, to ‘Ni and the First Order cheapskates. 

Heading out, the chill had most definitely set in, along with the nightly winds - the landing was fairly enclosed but just being outside was miserable. The troopers regarded the both of you and nodded, stepping to the side and allowing you access to the ship. By this time in the night you would have been snuggled in your tiny bed, rereading your favourite book for the tenth time. You would have been clean and calm and not covered in dust for the fifth time this afternoon.

La’ani worked his way around the outside of the ship, checking for breakage in any of the panels, while you made your way up the ramp and into the, surprisingly well-lit, command shuttle. The area was clean, polished and quite professional, unlike the majority of the vehicles you service. From your previous experience you knew your way around the ship, surveying as you went, there were a few nicks here and there but that was to be expected from any well used craft. What surprised you the most was how much of the panelling seemed brand new or just replaced, there were even a few patches every so often, which was quite out of character for an Order ship. 

It wasn’t hard to tell that the ship belonged to someone important, the whole idea of the model was to cater to exactly to the owners preferences. Although this one didn’t seem... comfortable. The seats were bare of any coverings and there were various dents in the walls - not to mention one of the lights had shattered. Someone had cleaned up the glass but the panel itself was shottily replaced was the slot was worn, as if the process had been repeated many times. You couldn’t phantom being this careless with such an expensive ship. 

But that wasn’t what you came for.

You found the main circuit, nestled behind the cockpit, and set your gear down to take a look. The panel slipped out with a soft pop, a subtle indication of the quality of the construction. Behind the sleek grey was a jungle of wires, all tangled around and over each other, jamming the various switches and flickering bulbs. _Whoever piloted the ship had some very specific preferences._

_Ah! Here it is!_ Finding what you were looking for, you begin fiddling with the navigational system, trying to figure out the source of the malfunction. Half of the connectors were shot, probably from a power surge during battle - they were more common than you would think for standardised ships. You noticed some of the added wires were trailing back to the cockpit, something you had seen in many ships before, although it was always interesting to see the adjustments previous engineers had made.

The cockpit was dimly lit by hundreds of switch lights, creating a cool glow across the sleek surfaces. Outside, the landing pad was dark, though you could see the lights of the shop and hear the deadened rush of the wind. 

The wires led to the main controls, shoddily secured to the wall. You assumed they were to adjust the sensitivity of the steering, though it’s impossible to tell without prying open it’s circuit. You didn’t have permission for that. _Would they be able to tell if you just had a quick look?_

It was late, and you shouldn’t. So you don’t. Maybe tomorrow you would get the opportunity to have a proper look after you replaced the navigational system. Besides, you could feel the adrenaline wearing off, fatigue taking its place. It wasn’t going to be possible for you to work tonight, half of your equipment was still in the shop. Moving out of the cockpit and making some preliminary notes on parts and tools you would need, you move back to put the panel together again.

You still couldn’t get past how careless the use of the ship seems, the hasty wiring and tears on the walls of the common space. It was obvious of who made them, marks like that couldn’t have been from blasters. _Who the hell does he think he is? Trashing such a nice ship that he probably got for nothing!_ If this bastard wasn’t so careless, you could have been sleeping right now!

Something shifted behind you, you continued to screw the panel in place. The footsteps were heavy, and echoed on the hard floor, “Oh come on ‘Ni! Can’t you even trust me to put a bloody panel back on! You told me this would be my chance to work on something high stakes,” fixing the last bolt you turn to face, who you assumed to be La’ani, “and you know I can’t work with you hovering ove- C-Commander Ren!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You find yourself staring at a black figure - for a moment you stiffen, thinking that it was the Commander, before realising that it was only one of his knights. The fact was less unnerving, if only slightly.

“-and you know I can’t work with you hovering over- C-Commander Ren!” You scurried to your feet, face flushed from your obvious fluster. Quickly, you forced yourself to stammer out a “my apologies sir!” as you snapped your hands behind your back, assuming the expected position of attention.

To say you were surprised was an understatement. The mass of black fabric that was Kylo Ren was entirely too tall for your comfort. This, matched with his unreadable mask and strict posture, you felt utterly thrown into the deep end. 

Despite the fact that the Command Shuttle is _his_ ship, the thought that you would actually have to talk to him never crossed your mind. La’ani didn’t often let you talk to the customers - strictly for this reason, because you had _no idea what you were supposed to do_.

Your position felt awkward and you were suddenly aware of how stiff and unbalanced you were. It was a miracle you were still upright. The silence and his stiff gaze were enough to set you on edge, you kept your eyes moving anywhere except his visor.

After what felt like multiple eternities, he spoke, “Have you figured out what’s wrong with my ship yet?”

It took a moment for the words to make sense, your mind too busy deciphering the deep metallic sound of his voice. He wanted a brief! Finally, something you _could_ do. Falling out automatically, your words came quick but surprisingly clear, “You’ve had a power surge and some of the pilots’ modifications are making the system unstable, I can get the navigation fixed but it’ll only be temporary. It’ll need re-servicing as soon as it’s available.” You decided to meet his eye, or at least where you expected his eyes to be, swallowing your shivers, “As for the modifications, I would need First Order equipment and to consult the pilot before I can even think to refine them.”

“I am the pilot.” Despite his static demeanour, he exerted an air of smugness. _Don’t act so smug, you did a pretty average job,_ was what you wished you could say but your self-preservation only let you mutter out a soft,

“Oh.”

It might have been your imagination but you swore you saw his gloved fist tighten, “I expect to leave by dawn, make that happen.”

And with that he was gone, promptly turning and black cape swinging silently out of the corridor. Suddenly, you found yourself left with the impossible task of rewiring half the kriffing system in only a few hours.

If this was any other customer you would insist that the repairs would have to take place in the morning, but this was the First Order and a commander at that. La’ani would most likely be in deep waters if you didn’t at least try to comply. So, begrudgingly, you made your way outside, back in the harsh winds to collect the equipment you needed.

The exterior panels were covered with a film of dull grey, making them almost invisible in the thick dust storm. Reaching out to wipe the glossy metal, you notice how gross and unkempt you looked after such a long day. Your hair was unbelievably windswept poking in all sorts of directions that you weren’t sure were possible and your clothes were covered in dust and grease, plus you couldn’t tell if the redness on your face and neck was windburn or the leftovers of your most recent fluster - _so much for first impressions._

 

_\---_

 

“Y/N!”

A sharp pain erupted in the back of your head, causing the world to throb unsettlingly. The shout had startled you, waking you up from your comfortable spot, legs folded on cool ground and head down in a tangle of electronics. It took you a moment to steady yourself, hand rubbing the spot where you collided with the panel’s edge. 

Slowly moving around, you met eyes with La’ani and mumbled, “I’m almost finished.”

When had you fallen asleep? Just a moment ago you were re-routing the navigational wires and organising the modifiers. Albeit, you had been tired, yawning as you worked.

“Well you better hurry up if you want to doze off like that,” he said gruffly, “you’ve only got a few hours ‘til they’ll be demanding to leave.”

You nodded, shaking your head, trying to ward off any lasting effects of sleep, and got back to work. It took a moment to assess where you were up to but soon you were back into your groove. A tweak here, a joint there, some sealant to top it off and violà! You weren’t lying when you said you were almost done. Double-checking all the systems were functional, you pull yourself to your feet, clicking the panelling back into place.

Walking out into the dark storm, you looked for La’ani. He wasn’t around the ship so you made your way back inside. The warmth of your wind-powered heating instantly relaxed your tense muscles as you shuffled into the dim room. It was a stark change to the well lit Command Shuttle, as La’ani didn’t quite have the budget for an upgraded storefront.

Just as you were about to call out, the sound of the door cracking open stops you. You expect to turn and see La’ani, you find yourself staring at a black figure - for a moment you stiffen, thinking that it was the Commander, before realising that it was only one of his knights. The fact was less unnerving, if only slightly. 

“Girl,” he spoke, his voice teasing, although not modified as Kylo Ren’s was, “have the repairs been made?”

You sighed and turned back to the counter, really wishing La’ani was here to deal with the talking, “The internals have been stabilised but I explained to the commander the ship will need further maintenance as soon as you have First Order engineers available.”

“Well, that’s what he’s asked me to tell you.” You turned to him again, his words catching you off guard. Had you screwed something up? “Commander Ren would like to offer you a position on the Finalizer as head mechanic for the Command Shuttle.”

The information hit you like a bag of bricks, _as if_ . You had done a single job, not even a very complex one at that. _They didn’t even know if it had worked yet_ . Yet here comes in a knight telling you that Kylo Ren, _The Kylo Ren_ , thought you had done well enough to offer you a job. 

Not only that but with such short notice. You couldn’t just pack up and leave, everything you had was here. You stayed silent, the air becoming thick with awkwardness. Before you collected your thoughts and replied, “Well you will have to inform him that I appreciate the offer, but must respectfully decline.”

The knight scoffed, “It would do you well to think about it; Ren does not make such offers lightly.” 

With that, he walked back towards the door and you headed to your room, just before you get to the doorway you hear him pipe back up, “We’re leaving first thing tomorrow.” before the door creaks back into place and only the sound of wind outside fills the room. 

The thought of crawling into bed, only to have to wake again in two hours made you proactively more tired. But the promise of comfort, however short was enough for you to flop onto your bed, pushing thoughts of the morning away, along with your spiralling to do with the most unexpected job offer. 

 

\---

 

Like every morning, movement in the shop stirred you, enhanced by your bitter lack of blankets. In your fatigue, you hadn’t even bothered to put them on. Sighing, you shuffle off the bed, moving towards the small mirror hanging on the wall. You didn’t have much here, a bed, a mirror and a closet but it was enough, and the years you had lived here had made it home.

Running a few fingers through your hair and picking sleep out of your eyes, your thoughts wandered back to the Commander’s offer. _What would you be doing? Who would you be working under? Where would you stay?_ Thoughts buzzed, none staying long enough to give fulfilling answers. 

_Could you even leave?_

Of course you could, technically, but Tetune had been your home for so long. The thought of leaving for an undefined period made you shiver, you might not have much here but what else did you have?

 _There wasn’t anything left for you here._ The thought rang loud and clear and you couldn’t deny it’s truth. What were you to become if you stayed here? La’ani was in fine health, you would simply continue as an apprentice, maybe even set up your own shop, fixing speeders and the odd ship repairs. Is that what you wanted? 

It’s what you said you wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! This chapter took so long to write and it's not that great... I'm gonna blame it on school, ngl it's been hellish lately.


End file.
